Switch contact

[Zaher]

Hi, Would someone advise me what would happen if cool air was blowed to a switch contact. Does this increase or decrease the resistance of the contact or doesn't affect it at all?

Thanks.

 

[benbo]

Hi, Would someone advise me what would happen if cool air was blowed to a switch contact. Does this increase or decrease the resistance of the contact or doesn't affect it at all? Thanks.

In general resisitivity of a metal increases with temperature. So keeping the switch cool would make it conduct better, not to mention the fact it would probably last longer. This is assuming you are talking about a mechanical switch and not a solid state switch or transistor.

Whether the difference is significant I think would depend on what metal the switch is, how the switch is used, how fast/often it switches how hot it would get without the air, etc. I would guess (just a guess) that in most applicatrions it owuldn't make much difference.